Homecoming win for Murray, Stevens, players

The Kings helped Terry Murray recorded two wins in his old stomping grounds over the weekend. The Kings won in Washington, where Murray played one season and spent parts of 10 others as an assistant or head coach. They also won in Philadelphia, where Murray spent parts of five seasons, either as an AHL or NHL player, and also spent parts of seven more seasons as an assistant or head coach. Murray coached the Flyers when Wells Fargo Center opened in 1996, but had yet to win there since leaving the Flyers. The Kings lost 2-0 in Philadelphia in Feb. 2009 and didn’t play there last season. After the game, Murray was asked if he attached any extra significance to the win over the Flyers because of his history…

MURRAY: “It’s always good to beat the Flyers, when you’re coming in with a visiting team. Emotionally, the adrenaline is pumping a little bit more, absolutely. It’s a great challenge to come in and play here. You have a lot of people you know. But on the other part of it, on the business side of it, we know where we are in the standings, and that we’ve got to get some points on the board. We’ve got to win some games, and that’s the primary objective coming into any building, is that your team plays well.”

It was also a homecoming for Kings assistant coach John Stevens, who spent four years as a member of the Flyers organization as a player, finished his playing career with three seasons with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms and also spent parts of 12 seasons coaching in Philadelphia, either at the AHL or NHL level. As for players, Justin Williams broke into the NHL with the Flyers and Michal Handzus spent four seasons in Philadelphia, leading a segment of Flyers fans to give a hearty “Zeuuuus” when he was announced as a starter.

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